Automatic balancing of rotatable hollow cylinders



May 14, 19 F. J. KAHN EKAL AUTOMATIC BALANCING OF ROTATABLE HOLLOW CYLINDERS Filed Sept. 30, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS BY 79v. KW

ATTO N6) AUTQMATIC BALANCING F RGTATABLE HOLLOW CYLINDERS Frank J. Kahn, New York, and Lee M. Kahn, liiroolrlyn, N. Y.

Application September 30, 1953, Serial No. 3833M Claims. (ill. 74--573) This invention relates to automatic balancing of ro tatable hollow cylinders wherein liquid is extracted from variouslarticles contained therein. Thus, the invention is particularly directed to cleaning machines such as laundry or dry cleaning machines.

The general functions of cleaning machine cylinders which rotate to extract the water from wet clothing or the like have been amply set forth in Kahn prior patents such as Patents 2,534,267, 2,534,268, 2,534,269 and 2,610,523. Briefly, systems of the type discussed herein automatically apply a counterbalance liquid to selected peripheral pockets formed on the rotating cylinder so as to compensate for unsymmetrical distribution of clothing therein.

The present invention provides improved means for accomplishing cylinder balance as the loaded cylinder rotates while effectively discharging counterbalance liquid from a pocket in which it should not be disposed and which augments unbalance. This is effected by means or" a continuous discharge system which not only discharges counterbalance liquid from each pocket while the cylinder is rotated but further automatically adjusts the rate of discharge depending upon the degree to which the pocket is filled. In other words, as a pocket is only slightly filled, as during the beginning of the extracting operation, the discharge of counterbalance liquid is at a lesser rate Whereas discharge is efifected at a greater rate as the pocket fills up. Particular expedients are shown herein for effecting this result in a most effective manner.

It may be stated that the function of continuously discharging liquid from all of the pockets is principally to remove counterbalance liquid from improperly filled, or rather partially filled pockets. During the application of counterbalance liquid to such pockets, it is extremely difficult to confine the liquid to the correct pocket since the cylinder is rotating at high speed and the system embodies inherent lags in operation. Accordingly, some counterbalance liquid will inevitably find its way into a wrong pocket. However, the correct pocket will nevertheless receive most of the liquid. It, therefore, the liquid is discharged equally from all pockets, the result will be to maintain liquid in the proper pocket while discharging it from an improper pocket.

The invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the instant invention, in diagrammatic form;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 3- 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along fmu tat or system for selecting pockets to which counterbalance fluid is to be applied; and

2,791,9l7 Patented May 14, 1957 Figure 7 is a developed view of a modified form of rotatable cylinder.

The apparatus in the form shown includes a perforated cylinder 10 whichis rotatably housed in a stationary shell 11. The cylinder is rotated by trunnions or shafts 12 and 12:: which are maintained in anti-friction bearings 13 and which support driving pulleys 14 and 15 respectively. Pulley 14 is actuated by a belt and motor 16 which may be a. high speed motor while pulley 15 is actuated by a belt and motor 17 which may be a low speed motor. Motor 17 is thus employed for the low speed or washing operations while motor 16 is employed for the high speed or liquid extracting operations as will be well understood by those skilled in the art. Shell 11 is formed with platforms 18 which support the bearings 13, and supports 19 support the shell 11 above the floor 20.

Cylinder 10 is arranged to receive, wash and damp dry the clothes in the interior thereof through conventional doors, not shown. As will be noted, the machine illustrated is an elongated one generally similar to Figure 7 of Kahn Patent No. 2,534,269. Thus, the machine is. supported by opposite end bearings 13 as above stated and balancing means are applied to both ends of the cylinder. It will be understood that in a so-called single bearing machine such as illustrated in my other patents, the balancing system will be applied to only one end of the machine. In the form shown, the elongated cylinder is divided into two independent chambers 10a and 10b by a central partition 21 so that each chamber will be provided with an independent loading door.

Cylinder 10 is formed with a plurality of peripheral pockets 22 adapted to receive counterbalance liquid for the purposes above described. Thus, three pockets spaced apart are provided for each cylinder chamber. The pockets are somewhat T-shaped having a hollow inwardly projecting portion 23 and a hollow arcuate por tion 24. Pocket portion 23 also serves as an agitating rib for effective washing of the clothes while the combined volume of portions 23 and 24 assure an adequate amount of counterbalance liquid for accommodating any normally encountered degree of unbalance. The specific construction of pockets 22 will be further explained hereinafter.

It will be understood that after a washing operation wherein the cylinder is rotated at a slow speed, the machine commences an extracting operation where the wash .water or cleaning liquid is extracted from the clothes or the like by rotating the cylinder at a high speed, generally from 300 to 700 R. P. M. The wash water or cleaning liquid is thus thrown from the clothes to the shell 11 through the perforations of the cylinder and is eventually dumped or discharged through dump 11a.

During the extraction operation, counterbalance liquid is applied to the pockets in accordance with an indicated state of unbalance. No specific means of determining the extent and site of such unbalance is claimed herein. The systems disclosed in the above mentioned prior patents or mechanical systems may be employed. In the instant application is diagrammatically illustrated a simplified electrical system for determining the site of unbalance. Thus, a commutator 25 comprising three angularly spaced metallic segments 26, 27 and 28 is secured to shaft 12. The segments occupy somewhat less than 120 of a circle and correspond to the disposition of the ribs or pockets. A brush 29 effects consecutive electrical contact with the segments as the shaft rotates. Accordingly, rotation of the shaft 12 will close consecutive electrical circuits in coincidence with rotational movements of arcuately spaced portions of the cylinder, such spaced portions corresponding with the disposition of the pockets. At the same time, a micnoswitch 3% (see Figure 2) is placed into such relationship with the. shell 11 that vibrations of a pre-determined amplitude will close the microswitch. It will therefore be evident to one skilled in the art that the simultaneous closing of the microswitch portion of the circuit and another portion comprising one of the commutator segments and the brush 29 will close one of three circuits depending upon the site of unbalance. The respective circuits will include one of the solenoid valves 31, 32 or 33. This will permit counterbalance liquid under pressure to flow from a source thereof (open or closed circuit) to any one of the pipes 34, 35 and 36. These pipes are introduced through openings of the stationary shell 11 and direct counterbalance liquid into specific rings 37, 38 or 39 through pipe mouths 40, 41 or 42 (Figure 3). Such openings 40-42, comprise the outer end of feed pipes 43 which transmit the accumulated liquid from a ring into a specific pocket which is associated with that ring. Accordingly, unbalance at a specific site in the cylinder is compensated by injecting counterbalance liquid into an opposite pocket of the cylinder so as to accomplish an acceptable state of balance. It will be understood that while the electrical system is not claimed herein, having been fully described in the above mentioned patents, the mechanical arrangement of the pocket feeding and discharging system is a feature of the instant invention. It will be 'further noted that the counterbalance liquid may be supplied from a closed system such as a source of cleaning liquid which both cleans the clothes and supplies counterbalance liquid. All such liquid is eventually returned to the system after appropriate filtering.

The opposite end of the elongated cylinder is applied with a balancing system which is a counterpart of that described hereinabove. Thus, solenoids 44, 45 and 46 inject material into respective feeding rings which feed a series of pockets which are aligned with the pockets of the chamber 10a. A commutator 47 duplicates the construction and operation of commutator 25 so that the respective ends or chambers of the machinegwill be balanced independently according to the indications of the commutators 25 and 47. Microswitch 30 may be disposed centrally of the shell 11 in order to serve both balancing arrangements, i. e., for the respective ends of the cylinder, or a separate microswitch may be employed adjacent each end of the shell.

Assuming now that a load of clothes produces an undue weight in the cylinder opposite pocket 23, the unbalance indicating system will energize solenoid 31 through a source of electrical power and will apply counterbalance liquid through pipe 34, feed ring 37 and pipe 43 into the pocket 23. The cylinder will be rotating at high speed at this time and the liquid will be both thrown toward the outer wall 60 of'pocket 23 and toward the side wall 61 thereof. Accordingly, the liquid will first tend to collect at the upper left-hand corner as viewed in Figure 4. It must be further understood, as above noted, that the injection of counterbalance liquid will not be precise in view of various conditions of lag and the changing conditions in the rotating cylinder. Such conditions may, and probably will, inject some counterbalance liquid into the wrong pockets. All such liquid, whether directed to the right or wrong pockets will first tend to collect in the upper left-hand corner, assuming that the cylinder was rotating in a clockwise direction as illustrated by the arrow 62. This occurs because side wall 61, in its outward extension from the cylinder, lies in a plane which longitudinally bisects the cylinder from one end to the other. As such it is subjected to centrifugal forces of liquid in the pocket when the cylinder is rotated.

Side wall 61 of pocket 22 is provided with three discharge pipes 63, 64 and 65 arranged in radially spaced relationship, the radius line being that of the cylinder. Pipe 63 is positioned at the upper left-hand corner so vas to be the radially outermost discharge pipe and has -the smallest opening of the three. Thus, it may have an inside diameter of /5". Pipe 64 is positioned approximately midway of side wall 61 and it has an inside diameter of A of an inch. Pipe 65 is positioned at the base of the side wall 61 and it has an inside diameter of A of an inch. The diameter of pipes 34-36 and feed pipe 43 is approximately 1''.

At the commencement of an extracting operation, when the counterbalance liquid is first injected into a pocket at the radially innermost portion thereof as illustrated in Figure 1, and such liquid collects at the upper left-hand corner thereof, it will first discharge through the smallest opening 63. Inasmuch as a relatively small amount of liquid is in the pocket at that time, it will thus be evident that the smaller opening 64 will not discharge an excessive and undue amount of such liquid. As a process of extraction continues and additional counterbalance liquid is injected into the pockets, a more rapid discharge rate may be tolerated and the intermediate opening 64 effects discharge in oo-operation with the smaller opening 63. As the maximum of counterbalance liquid which may be retained by the pocket is approached, all three discharge pipes take effect.

in order to provide still further discharge means as the process of extraction continues and the cylinder speed increases, a discharge opening 66 is formed in the outer wall 60. Opening 66 is at the opposite side of the pocket relative to the side disposed discharge pipes and it will obviously take effect only when the pocket is nearly filled or at the higher extraction speeds when the liquid may take a different position as by spreading across the inner wall of the pocket. It will be recognized by the above that I have provided discharge pipes or openings which take effect in accordance with the degree of filling of the pocket.

As above stated, the other end of the cylinder will be balanced by its independent balancing system above described. However, it is contemplated that the same balancing system which actuates the solenoids 31 to33 may also actuate the solenoids 44 to 46 so that liquid is applied into aligned pockets in either chamber and only one balancing system is employed.

In the modification of Figure 7, the pockets of the respective chambers are staggered rather than aligned. This arrangement produces greater flexibility of operation and can accurately produce balance when unusual distributions are encountered. a

It may further be noted that the lag between the initiation of corrective action and the application of counterbalance liquid pursuant thereto, is substantially constant because of the inertia of mechanical elements and the route which the counterbalance liquid must take. Obviously therefore, misdirection of counterbalance liquid due to lag will vary depending upon the rotating speed of the cylinder. Lag at any one speed can be largely corrected by adjusting the angular position of the commutator on the shaft. I have determined that it is best to set the commutator for maximum operation at the higher extraction speeds because the cylinder remains longest at such higher speeds. Accordingly, during the first part of an extracting operation there will be a greater misdirection of counterbalance liquid but such misdirected liquid will nevertheless be discharged by the means herein disclosed.

At the end of an extraction operation the counterbalance liquid may be permitted to drain from each pocket and it may do so through the open endof the cylinder and through drain opening 70 which is disposed horizontally outwardly of the pockets. It is recognized that the liquid discharge openings may thus function to drain the counterbalance liquid but the open end speeds up the procedure and renders it more positive.

What is claimed is:

1. In a balancing apparatus for a rotating hollow horizontal cylinder having means for selectively applying counterbalance liquid to spaced peripheral portions of the cylinder, a plurality of liquid receivingpockets posed adjacent spaced peripheral portions of the cylinder, said pockets being formed with a liquid inlet opening and being substantially T-shaped with the head of the T in arcuate form which is concentric with the cylinder, one side of said T-shaped portion being provided with a plurality of liquid discharge openings adapted to discharge liquid from said pockets while liquid is being applied thereto through said inlet opening, said side extending in a plane which longitudinally bisects the cylinder from one end to the other so as to be subjected to the centrifugal pressure of liquid in said pockets generated by rotation of the cylinder.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said plurality of liquid discharge openings are arranged in radially spaced relationship.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 and wherein each of said liquid discharge openings is of mutually varying inside diameter so as to have correspondingly varying fiow capacities.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein the radially outermost of said liquid discharge openings has the smallest flow capacity and the remaining openings are of gradually increased flow capacity.

5. In a balancing apparatus for a rotating hollow cylinder having means for selectively applying counterbalance liquid to spaced peripheral portions of the cylinder, a plurality of liquid receiving pockets disposed adjacent spaced peripheral portions of the cylinder, said pockets being formed with a liquid inlet opening and with liquid discharge means, said liquid discharge means comprising at least one opening formed in each of said pockets and adapted to discharge liquid from said pockets while liquid is being applied thereto through said liquid inlet opening, said liquid discharge opening being spaced from said liquid inlet opening and having an inside diameter which is less than the inside diameter of said liquid inlet opening so as to normally have a lesser capacity of flow therethrough, said pockets including a substantially arcuate portion which is concentric with the cylinder, a side wall for said arcuate portion, said liquid discharge opening being formed in said side Wall, said arcuate portion having an opposite side wall and an outer wall, and a second discharge opening formed adjacent said opposite side wall, each of said side walls extending in planes which longitudinally bisect the cylinder so as to be subjected to the centrifugal pressure of liquid in said pockets generated by rotation of the cylinder.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 and wherein said second discharge opening is formed in said outer wall.

7. In a balancing apparatus for a rotating hollow horizontal cylinder having means for selectively applying counterbalance liquid to spaced peripheral portions of the cylinder during a liquid extraction operation of said cylinder, a plurality of elongated liquid receiving pockets disposed circumferentially of the cylinder adjacent spaced peripheral portions of the cylinder, means including an inlet pipe for injecting counterbalance liquid selectively into said pockets, said inlet pipe having a mouth disposed adjacent the radially innermost portion of the pocket, each of said pockets being formed with liquid discharge means, said liquid discharge means comprising at least one opening formed in a side wall of said pockets and adapted to discharge liquid from said pockets While liquid is being applied thereto through said inlet pipe, said cylinder being formed with a drain opening disposed horizontally outwardly of said pockets for draining counterbalance liquid from said pockets out of said cylinder at the end of said liquid extraction operation, each of said pockets being formed with liquid discharge means, said liquid discharge means comprising at least one opening formed in each of said pockets and adapted to discharge liquid from said pockets while liquid is being applied thereto through said liquid inlet opening, said liquid discharge opening being spaced radially outwardly from said liquid inlet opening and having an inside diameter which is less than the inside diameter of said liquid inlet opening so as to normally have a lesser capacity of flow therethrough.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 and including a partition dividing said cylinder into two horizontally aligned chambers, liquid receiving pockets being formed adjacent each of said chambers and means to apply counterbalance liquid to the pockets of each chamber independently of the other chamber.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 and including a partition dividing said cylinder into two horizontally aligned chambers, liquid receiving pockets being formed adjacent each of said chambers and means to apply counterbalance liquid to the pockets of each chamber independently of the other chamber, the pockets of one chamber being arranged in staggered circumferential relationship relative to the pockets of the other chamber.

10. In a balancing apparatus for a rotating hollow cylinder having means for selectively applying counterbalance liquid to spaced peripheral portions of the cylinder, a plurality of liquid receiving pockets disposed adjacent spaced peripheral portions of the cylinder, said pockets being formed with a liquid inlet opening and with liquid discharge means, said liquid discharge means comprising at least one opening formed in each of said pockets and adapted to discharge liquid from said pockets while liquid is being applied thereto through said liquid inlet opening, said pockets being formed concentrically with the cylinder, a side wall of said pockets being formed with at least one liquid discharge opening, said side wall extending in a plane which longitudinally bisects the cylinder so as to be subjected to the centrifugal pressure of liquid in said pockets generated by rotation of the cylinder.

Emmert et al. Dec. 12, 1950 Helm-Hansen Jan. 16, 1951 

